Metal container



Aug. 23, 1932. L. M. PIKER METAL CONTAINER Filed Nov. 15, 1928 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, 1932 .UNITED STATES LOUIS M. PIKER, or HAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGNQREO SIDNEY BIKER, or IBERVNARD" amaze:

pmmww OHIO METAL CONTAINER Application filed November 15, 1928. Serial No. 319,609.

My invention relates to metal containers and boxes made from unitary metal blanks, or separate pieces.

In the art, themanufacture of metal containers and cases from unitary metal blanks has been quite extensively developed. Flat sheets of metal are cut and then formed up into desired shape and thenthe sides are riveted or preferably spot-welded into a substantially rigid structure. It is the object of my invention to make in this type of box, one which will have an inset lid space and inwardly depending flange or ledges at the top, which at the corners will be reinforced by overlapping tongues.

l/Vhile it is old to form up boxes from unitary blanks and then provide reinforcing plates at inset corners of the vertical walls of a lid space, to the'best of my knowledge been formed by the addition of metal angles or overlapping tongues at the inset vertical corner walls, which, in such position, were unsightly and tended to make the lid bind and not fit evenly, and did not provide reinforcement against transverse strains. It is the object of my invention to avoid this difficulty by providing overlapping tongues on inwardly extending flanges or ledges which will in no way interfere with the freedom of operation of the lid and will, at the same time, greatly strengthen the upper portions of the box by providing integralcross braces which tend to resist distortion of the box diagonally.

The above and other objects to which reference will bemade in the ensuing disclosure I accomplish by that certain combination and arrangement of parts of which I have shown a preferred modification.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from V which the box is made. W

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the completed box prior to the application of the cover. I

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 33 in Figure 2. The box is cut from a flat blank of metal having a portion A which is to become the and belief such reinforcements have always bottom of thebox, and having theportions B and C which are to become the ends of the box, and the portions D and E which are. to become the sides of the box. The portions 1) and E in this instance have projecting portions F and G which are to form overlapping joints with the edges of the sides I of the box ends. Both the sides and ends of the box'have extensions H, I, J and K, which, as will be noted,..form the flanged. inset portions for seating a cover or lid with downwardly flanged walls. At the corners of each of the sides and ends there are formed tongues L which, as will be noted, are overlapped and spot-welded and thus form diagonal braces for the box.

In forming up the box'the sides and ends are bent up from the bottom, and a double inset ledge is formed extending inwardly around the periphery of the top of the box. Thus, referring particularly to Figure 3, the

first inwardly flangedshoulder is indicated at M. Then an upstanding'inset wall, indicated at N, is formed, and then the edge of the sides and ends are bent inwardly to form the flanged protecting ledge O. The tongues L, which are semi-triangular in shape, are then overlapped, as indicated, and spot welded in their overlapping portions, as in dicated at P. The tongues, it will be noted, form overlapping ledges extending diagonally across the corners as indicated at R. The projecting portionsF and G are also bent over and spot-welded in position against the side edges of the end walls of the box as indicated at Q. Thus it will be apparent that the lid for the box may have downturned flanges and fit within the recess or lid space made by the inset formation of the top walls of the box. The lid may also fit snugly about the wall N, and there will be provided the tongues in such overlapping relationship that a reinforcement tending to brace the box against transverse strains will be provided. 95

Since it is old to applv a lid or cover to a box shaped in accordance with the one illustrated, I have not described the lid structure as it forms no part of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box comprising a bottom, side and end walls integrally formed of sheet material and joined together at their corners, the upper edge of each wall comprising, integral and in succession, an inwardly extended member, an upwardly extended member and a second inwardly extended member, leaving a lid space, and the second inwardly extended members of adjacent walls having mutually lapping parts rigidly attached together, whereby each wall has a substantially Z-bar rim afi'ording added rigidity against lateral stresses, and whereby the rigid corner attachments afiord added rigidity against weaving stresses.

2. A box comprising a bottom, side and end walls integrally formed of sheet material and joined together at their corners, the

upper edge of each wall comprising, integral and in succession, an inwardly extended member, an upwardly extended member and a second inwardly extended member, leaving a lid space, and the end part of each second inwardly extended member being additionally extended inwardly, and said second inwardly extended members of adjacent walls having said additionally extended end parts mutually lapping and rigidly attached together, whereby each wall has a substantially Z-bar rim affording added rigidity against lateral stresses, and whereby the rigid attachments of said additionally extended parts afford added rigidity against weaving stresses.

LOUIS M. PIKER. 

